I was recently named valedictorian of my 8th grade class, so I have to give a speech at our promotion ceremony. Because it’s only 8th grade, I don’t want to get to gushy or anything, but I do want it to be inspiring/motivational/reminiscent enough that it isn’t boring or useless. I have two themes that I think could be good, and was wondering which one you think would be better, or how I could combine the two.
The first is to stay true to yourself, not care what other people think, etc. I was thinking of using Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote, “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do,” or Theodore Roosevelt’s, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
The second is about working hard, and/or learning from mistakes/hardship. For this theme, I had Albert Einstein’s, “You never fail until you stop trying,” or Salvador Dali’s “Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.” I also liked “Stars can’t shine without darkness,” although I’m not sure who said that.
Obviously, I would elaborate on these quotes, and they would not necessarily be the main focus of my speech, just a starting point. Any advice? Thanks.
I like the first one. Middle schoolers spend a lot of time worrying about what others think. Part of the transition to HS is realizing that is that people often aren’t really thinking about you. If you can help that along, go for it. 
The quote by Eleanor Roosevelt I believe would make an excellent basis for your speech. Congratulations on being named Valedictorian for your class
I definitely like the Eleanor Roosevelt quote better. I think it is a quote that will have a lot of relevance to your class. Good luck and congratulations!
An 8th grade speech, cute lol. You want to spur up excitement for high school. It shouldn’t be sappy because you’ll see your classmates again after one summer. Maintain an atmosphere of positivity and encourage them to work hard these next four years to obtain their goals.
Both quotes are perfect and can be effective if used in a good manner.
One thing that is a given: some people won’t care what you have to say, so don’t get discouraged if you look out and see some people not paying attention. Just give a great speech and give it your all.
Good luck.
I agree with @IrrationalPepsi. Also, I don’t know if you realized but a class of 2020 thread has yet to be started…
@Ellolove there have been 3, if I’m not incorrect. None of ten have emerged as the official thread yet.